NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5514, 14 March 1896, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

THE ANNUAL MEETING. [Per Press Association.] OAMARU, March 13. There was lovely weather for the opening of the Rifle Association Meeting, there being a bright sun with a fresh northeasterly breeze. The following is the prize list : — The Nelson match was then proceeded with. The shooting at the 200 yds range was fairly good. At 2.30 a start was made with the 500 yds range, and though the wind remained steady it was soon apparent that something was ■ wrong, as the shooting was very erratic, and miss after miss wa3 recorded in > quick succession.. The ammunition, of course,- came jp. for its full share : of condernnationi- but it. may. be that the men failed to gain the' proper- elevation^ -or that the waving grass somewhat inter* fered with them. Be what it may, there was no doubt that the shooting at 500 yds was about the worst seen at an Association gathering at that range for some time. At 600 yds much the same order prevailed as at the previous range, and " bursting " was reported in all directions. The following is the prize list : — Nelson Match, 200, 500 and 600 yds. Seven shots. Not counting for the belt. Pt W. Scott, Reaerve Corps, Ch.ch, £8 87 Wilson, Woodville Rifle Club, .£6 ... 86 Wilkie, Up^er Hutt Rifle Club, .£5 ... 85 Sergt Moody, A Co., Queensland, .£4 ... 85 Cameron, Oamaru Rifle Club, £4 ... 84 Pt A. Ballinger, Wellington Guards, £4 83 Pt Raven, Wellington Guards, £3 ... 81 Gr Greenshields, A Bat., Auckland, .£3 81 Pfc Fraser, Kaitangata ßifles, .£3 ... 81 W. Smith, Invercargill Rifle Club, £2... 81 Gr Taylor, A Battery, Auckland, £2 ... 80 G. Ferguson, Queensland Rifle Club, £2 79 Grace, Petone Rifle Club, i 32 79 Little, Oamaru Rifle Club, £2 . . . ... 78 Sergeant-Major White (Oamaru Artillery), Patterson (Hawera Rifle Club), W. Loveday (Woodville Rifle Clvib), Sergeant Parker (Christchurch City Rifles) •■ 78 each ; Robinson (Upper Hutt Rifle Club), Captain M'Kenzie (Invercargill Battery), Private Robilliord' (Kaiapoi Rifles), Rule (Oamara Rifle Club), Captain Smith- (Dunedin City Guards), Gunner Head (ABafr tery, Auckland) 77 each ; Nimmo (Oamaru Rifle Club), Gunner Smith (Oamaru Artillery), Avery (Pahiatua Rifle Club), Spiers (Oamaru Rifle Club), Wills (Southland Rifle Club), 76; Cox (Woodville Rifle Club), Lieutenant Jack (Dunedin City Guards), Sergeant Kruse (Wanganui Rifles), 75 each; Corporal Gargett (Brisbane), Kelling (Hawera Rifle Club), 74 each—^l each. Counted out — Gray (Marton Rifle Club), C. Hale (Wellington Guards), Lester (Christchurch). . Last year Burns (Karori) won this match.with 93, while 82 was counted out. The Government has decided to give a silver cup as an extra prize in £he Federal Match.